Confessions of a Former Fat Girl

I haven’t posted in a few days because my job finally started this week and I’m still adjusting to the added work hours. I’m serving part time at Savannah’s BBQ in Logan, Utah.  I really like my job and all the people I work with which is a big bonus!

I currently smell like baby-back ribs since I’m still wearing my work shirt!

I took Everett to his 15 month (we are a month and a half late!) check up a few days ago. He weighed in at 22.5 lbs. (15%) and got a clean bill of health. He only had to get 2 shots and I was shocked when he didn’t even cry! It probably had something to do with that sucker in his mouth.

So I have a confession to make. I sort of had a “former fat girl” relapse for the past 2 days. It all started with Everett’s doctor appointment. It was early in the morning right during my usual workout time. For some reason this REALLY threw me off. Rather than working out after the appointment, I just skipped it. Then for the rest of the day I was feeling guilty about my lack of exercise which caused me to make BAD eating choices. When I went to bed that night I vowed to do better the next day. Well that didn’t happen. I skipped another workout and had Lucky Charms for lunch and 2 bowls of ice cream for dinner. NOT GOOD.

I was really feeling bad and I couldn’t figure out why I was falling back into my old habits. I did just start a new job but I wasn’t feeling overly stressed about it. I realized that I am still getting used to my new healthy lifestyle even though it has been 6+ months. It is very easy for me to go back to my old sedentary ways and I need to be careful. I was starting to get comfortable and felt like I had everything figured out. I also think the diet that goes along with Jamie Eason’s program is too rigid for me. It was causing me to become obsessive about my food intake and I don’t want to be that way.

Luckily I got back on track today. I started the day with a 5 mile SLOW run. It was just what I needed to remind me why I swapped out my unhealthy habits. I LOVE having the ability to simply lace up my shoes and go for a 5 mile run. It is honestly something I never thought I could do. Now that I can, it is something I plan to do for the rest of my life. I never want to go back to being overweight again. I enjoy my endorphins and extra energy (not to mention my ‘skinny jeans’) too much to go back.

Today, rather than worrying about macro nutrients and time intervals between my meals, I focused on eating healthy WHOLE foods.

 

I wasn’t too strict and had half a barbeque hamburger and a few sweet potato fries after my shift today. I have a feeling exercising and eating right will be a lifelong battle for me. It is a battle I am willing to fight because my health and the health of my family is important. I’m not going to get down on myself for my slip up but I am going to be better in the future. Today is a new day.

If this is something you struggle with I encourage you to start your new (healthy) life now. Don’t wait till tomorrow or Monday or the New Year. Start now. Right now.

I decided to throw this picture in at the end because I think it’s cute. Dax was SO excited when he saw this car that looks just like “Doc Hudson” from the movie Cars!

Timber!!! +Weekend recap

We enjoyed a nice relaxing weekend which was just what everyone needed! Kelly has 2 more weeks of graduate school until he is officially DONE with his education…forever. He promises me he has NO desire to get a PhD. My restaurant is finally opening tonight so my work schedule is going to get  much busier this week. Needless to say we are in for a wild ride for the next few weeks!

Here’s a photo dump recap of how our weekend went down:

This happened TWICE last week. We finally wised up this weekend and bought a bigger stand for our massive tree. I’m happy to report there have been no more tree-falling-over-at-4am-and-waking-up-the-entire-household-episodes.

After decorating this thing 3 times, we’ve got it down to a science. The kids LOVE the train. We made sure to buy the most annoying train toy stores have to offer. This one plays music and has a bell. If listening to a screeching rendition of jingle bells 50 times in one day doesn’t send me to the loony bin I don’t know what will!

Something that doesn’t make me want to rip my eyelashes out is this photo. My boys have been giving each other lots of hugs lately. We are getting pretty darn close to having AS many hugs and loving moment as fights. This may not sound like an accomplishment but I’m quite happy with that ratio!

I managed to get outside and go for a short run. It was raining most of the weekend but the cloud cover increased the temperature quite a bit. It was perfect running weather.

I went to a church youth group activity that involved cooking quick and easy meals. It was a bonus that they were pretty healthy too! We made Beef Sandwiches and Curry Chicken Lettuce Wraps. The lettuce wraps were my favorite and I will be making them again this week.

Hung the stocking and put up a few other Christmas decorations.

Dax and I went on a special Mommy-Son date.

We went out to eat and he ordered a Hamburger and French Fries with Lemonade to drink. All things he usually doesn’t eat.

We followed dinner with a 3D showing of Wreck It Ralph. I was quite surprised that Dax kept his glasses on for the whole movie. If you have kids, or if you just enjoy animated movies, I recommend Wreck It Ralph. It was funny, cute and heartwarming. Dax and I were fully entertained!

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What did you do this weekend?

My Big Bro’s Santa Barbara Marathon Race Recap

I have a treat for all you lucky readers today!  My big brother recently ran his second marathon and he agreed to guest post with his race recap. Take it away Jared.

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I spent the last 4 months training for the Santa Barbara Marathon.

This is the 2^nd marathon I’ve participated in with the first being the OC marathon last year in May. Both times I signed up for the marathon as way to lose weight. I like to yo-yo with my weight, as my wife would say, and once again I found my weight well into the Clydesdale division (190+) this summer. Last year I hadn’t run at all and had to start from square 1 but I made it my new year’s resolution to complete a marathon. Before I started training this time I was at least running about 10 miles a week, not much but at least I had a decent place to start from.

As I started training, my only goal was to lose 20 pounds before the marathon. However, as I really started training I began to wonder if I could complete the marathon in less than 4 hours. The first few weeks of training, my long runs were at around a 9:10 pace. As I continued to add miles each week (and drop weight) my pace started to creep below 9 minutes so I decided I would shoot for the sub 4. I had no clue if I could do it but it seemed exciting to try.

The morning of the race was nice and cold but they let the runners hang out in the high school gym until 15 minutes before the race. This was nice as it gave me a chance to sit and stay off my feet while still keeping warm. Looking back I should have been drinking more pre-race but I was so concerned about losing time for a bathroom break that it didn’t hydrate enough. This would come back to bite me that last few miles. The gun went off and the herd took off.

I told myself over and over and over not to go out to fast. It’s the classic rookie mistake and I made that mistake my first marathon. I bought a running watch 2 months ago to check my pace and heart rate. I knew if I kept my heart rate below 153 I would be okay and stay away from the lactate threshold. As you will see from my splits below I started out too fast. I don’t know what it is but I just felt so comfortable and thought I was REALLY holding back. I remember even looking at my watch repeatedly and thinking “that can’t be right” and “maybe the watch just needs a mile to calibrate.” Somehow with all my mental preparation and the constant monitoring of my watch I still managed to go out to fast. Looking back it was just bravado and stupidity thinking that I would run at that pace for the full 26.

I finally wised up at mile 3 and got my heart rate to a decent level. It’s funny how the first 10 miles or so you wave to all those cheering you on, high five all the little kids and really enjoy the nice views. That would not be the case later on.

Split Time HR (avg)

1 00:08:18 158 bpm

2 00:08:28 154 bpm

3 00:08:32 149 bpm

4 00:08:37 150 bpm

5 00:08:37 150 bpm

6 00:08:48 152 bpm

7 00:08:38 153 bpm

8 00:08:48 155 bpm

9 00:08:32 152 bpm

10 00:08:36 153 bpm

11 00:08:42 153 bpm

12 00:08:39 152 bpm

13 00:08:49 154 bpm

Me in the last quarter mile and my one fan (my wife Paige).

I got to the half-way point in around 1:54 minutes which I was really excited about. I felt just okay at this point but could tell I was starting to feel weak. I slowed down my pace a bit hoping it would allow me enough energy to finish. Soon though my pace got slower and my heart rate started creeping up (not a good combination). Another stupid mistake was realizing at mile 19 that my heart rate was to high but still thinking “Dang I’m red lining here. Who cares, I’ll just gut this race out.” You can do that for a mile or two at the end but you can’t red line the last 7 miles! Something happens to your brain between mile 18-20 and you have a lot of irrational thoughts.

So I ran hard for a few more miles but soon I ran out of energy and got my first ever quad cramp. Once you start cramping there isn’t a whole lot you can do. I had to do a walk/run routine and by mile 23 I saw the 4 hour pacer catch up to me. I wanted so bad to come in under 4 that I pushed hard to keep up with her. At mile 24 though my legs decided they had enough and I couldn’t run more than a minute at a time.

The View at Mile 25!

I tried to run the last quarter mile and right as I crossed the finish line my legs gave out and I stumbled into the barriers. I was happy that I finished the race giving it my all but bummed I didn’t finish under 4. I officially finished in 4:07 which was way better than the 4:40 I ran my first marathon in. I was happy with the vast improvement and I was able to lose the 20 pounds I originally desired.

14 00:08:51 156 bpm

15 00:08:50 155 bpm

16 00:08:54 155 bpm

17 00:09:05 154 bpm

18 00:09:02 156 bpm

19 00:09:03 161 bpm

20 00:09:50 159 bpm

21 00:09:32 159 bpm

22 00:10:34 150 bpm

23 00:10:10 149 bpm

24 00:12:28 148 bpm

25 00:10:54 144 bpm

26 00:13:50 130 bpm

27 00:13:14 137 bpm

At least I keep learning more about running with each race. Maybe someday I’ll run the race in a way to optimize my before. In the meantime at least I still have the sub 4 goal to work at!

What race mistakes have you made?

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I am so proud of my brother for completing his second marathon. Thanks for sharing with us big bro!

Our Big Adventure

I started my day off right yesterday with a slow and easy 4 mile run outside.  I went just as the sun was coming up and it was magnificent. I sure do love getting my workouts done first thing in the morning!

I was feeling adventurous so before heading out to pick Dax up from preschool I packed lunches for the boys. I used to be so much better about taking my kids to explore exciting places. Lately, if we go anywhere, it involves the grocery store, Walmart, or the gym.  I was planning on taking them to the park for a picnic lunch but as soon as I stepped outside I realized it was too cold. We did the next best thing and headed to the library. There is a big long hallway with a sitting area before the entrance to our library so this is where the boys ate their lunches.

Once they finished eating we headed in and Dax made a B-line for the computers. The Logan library has a bunch of computers in the kids area with educational games on them. Dax played a Sesame Street game that is supposed to help him learn how to sound out words.

While Dax played on the computer Everett and I checked out some of the Holiday books.  We were lucky enough to find “The Night Before Christmas” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Once we finished perusing the entire children’s book section, we headed over to the reading area.

After spending at least an hour in the library we headed home for naps. I was hoping they would be super tired from our “big afternoon adventure” and take extra long naps. That didn’t happen. I had just enough time to make lunch and eat it before they decided it was time to come out and play again!

I made some sautéed some chicken, bell pepper, and onion in low fat sesame ginger dressing. I also baked a few corn tortillas that were used to scoop up that big heap of guacamole. It was definitely a random lunch but it tasted delicious!

I had to go to a quick meeting for work last night but we promised the kids we could decorate the Christmas tree. Kelly got home a few minutes early so we could spend a half hour decorating before I had to leave. The boys had an awesome time and the bottom 1/8 of our tree is FILLED with ornaments. We did a bit a rearranging after they went to bed. We did get to finish decorating so I will post a photo of the whole tree once I add the finishing touches!

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What is the best thing you did yesterday?

Do you ever use your local library?

-I use ours occasionally, but feel like I should utilize it more! Who doesn’t like free books and movies?

A Day in the Life

As you know I’ve been following Jamie Eason’s LiveFit Trainer from bodybuilding.com. The program is completely free and I’ve loved it so far.  I’m only on day three but I can tell my body is appreciating all the healthy foods I’ve been feeding it. After indulging over the long weekend I’m really happy to be back to more nutritious foods. The average woman gains 3-5 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years. I’m bound and determined NOT to be that women.  Hop on the bandwagon with me and you don’t have to be her either.

Before I get to my usual What I Ate Wednesday I want to share my breakfast recipe with you. I found it on bodybuilding.com and it was super scrumptious. Everyone in my family gave these pancakes great reviews.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

From www.Bodybuilding.com

Calories: 64
Fat: 1.3 grams
Carbs: 9.5 grams
Protein: 3.5 grams
Sugar: 0 grams

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Oat Flour
• 2 tbsp Splenda, Truvia, or Ideal (I used stevia)
• 1 tbsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Allspice
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
• 4 Egg Whites
• 1/2 cup Raw Pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened Almond Breeze

Directions

1. Preheat griddle to medium heat.
2. Mix oat flour, Splenda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg in a bowl.
3. Wisk egg whites and pumpkin. Mix in Almond Breeze (I also added 1 tsp. vanilla here).
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together.
5. Spray griddle with non-stick butter spray.
6. Scoop batter with a 1/4 cup measuring cup onto griddle. Cook 3-5 minutes on a side.

Makes 16 pancakes.

For today’s What I Ate Wednesday I am going to give you a glimpse into my day-to-day life. This is from yesterday. Here it goes:

 

We woke up and Dax helped me make some pancakes and eggs for our breakfast.

8 AM Breakfast:

2 pumpkin pancakes with almond butter and 5 egg whites cooked with salsa.

After breakfast we kissed Daddy goodbye and I realized I only had 10 minutes to get myself and my two kids dressed and out the door to head to the gym. I only reserved a spot for my kids from 9-10 and I didn’t want to be late and cut into my workout time. I managed to get everyone ready but didn’t realize Everett was missing shoes until I had already left the house. Luckily my diaper bag is a bottomless pit and I just so happened to have an extra pair of shoes in there!

I only got 10 minutes into my workout when a worker found me and let me know Everett needed a diaper change. I was in my own little world so she had to tap me on the shoulder and wave her arms in my face to get my attention! I was just starting to get into my groove so it was a bummer to have to stop. Being a mom is a 24/7 job and kids don’t always pick the best times to need something. Such is life! After finished up at the gym, we headed home for a snack.

10:30 AM Snack:

Chocolate protein shake made with 1 cup almond milk, 1 scoop whey protein, 1tbsp. cocoa powder, 1/2 banana, and ice.

After snack the boys played while I got ready, blogged, and responded to emails. After reading a few books and doing 5 million puzzles with my kids it was 12:00 and time to feed them lunch. I made them PB&J on whole wheat bread with a side of applesauce. Everett decided he didn’t want his sandwich and was begging me for cheese. He is just beginning to talk so when he pointed to the fridge and said, “chsssss” I couldn’t resist.

What can I say, the boy REALLY loves his cheese.

I started prepping my lunch while the kids were eating. They both went down for naps at 1. This is mommy time and I enjoyed my lunch while listening to Christmas music.

1:15 PM Lunch:

Taco salad with spring mix lettuce, chicken, salsa, guacamole, homemade baked tortilla strips, and a squeeze of lime.

After lunch I relaxed for a few minutes before heading into the kitchen to clean. I was in such a rush to get to the gym in the morning that I hadn’t even cleaned up breakfast. Needless to say, it was a really big mess. The boys both woke up around 2:30 and had snacks. We ready more books, did more puzzles, watched Mickey Mouse, and played with endless amounts of cars, trucks, and trains. I also made some pumpkin protein bars while Mickey Mouse was on.

4:45 PM Snack:

An apple and two Pumpkin Protein Bars (not pictured).

Daddy surprised us by getting home early so we could go pick out our Christmas tree. We found a great tree and got it all set up on our car when we realized we didn’t have a tree stand. The tree lot didn’t sell them so we headed to Walmart. What do you know? Walmart doesn’t have tree stands either. But since we were there anyway we picked up some goldfish crackers, teddy grahams, and beef jerky. All my boys were getting hungry (Kelly included)so they ate some really nutritious??? snacks. We drove to the other side of town to go to Home Depot where we finally found a tree stand. Success!

By the time we got home and set up the tree it was time for the boys to go to bed. They were a bit sad we didn’t get to decorate it so we let them put the star on the top!

After PJ’s, brushing teeth, reading stories, singing songs, and prayers this kids were in bed and it was time for me to EAT. I had planned on making chicken and sweet potatoes but since everyone else already ate I nixed the idea. I didn’t feel like cooking for just 1 person.

8 PM Dinner:

I don’t like to eat too much deli meat because of the preservatives and high sodium but I made an exception tonight. I had 6 oz. deli turkey, 2 celery stalks, and a slice of Ezekiel toast with peanut butter and sugar free jelly.

I ate dinner while watching an episode of Sister Wives. Why is that show so addicting? It is just so fascinating to see how a polygamist family lives.

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What is the best thing you’ve had for breakfast lately?

Are you usually alert during your workouts or do you tend to zone out?

-I almost always zone out but I try to be more aware during my outdoor runs. Safety first!

Have you put up Holiday decorations yet?

Days 1 and 2 of LiveFit

I have now completed the first 2 workouts of Jamie Eason’s LiveFit and I am SORE!!! I’m really loving the workouts since they are so different from my usual circuits and intervals.

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The first workout was for Chest and Triceps and the second was Back and Biceps. During this workout I wasn’t breathing particularly hard or sweating profusely like I do during my circuits. However, my arms were shaking like crazy and my muscles were fatigued to the max. You are supposed to lift to failure during all your sets. This means picking a weight heavy enough that by the time you get to 12 reps you physically cannot perform another rep. I know something is working with these workouts since I can barely lift my arms above my head with out screaming in pain! I’m hoping the soreness will fade with time but I like FEELING the effects of my workouts. I think this type of workout is just what my body needs right now. My body was becoming too accustomed to higher reps and lower weight and I’m hoping to see some great results from changing up my routine.

I have also been loosely following the meal plan that goes with LiveFit. The meal plan has me eating every 2-3 hours or 5-6 times a day. Every meal should include 50% carbohydrate and 50% protein with unlimited vegetables. If I am hungry for a 6th meal at night I am not supposed to eat carbs during that meal. I am also including 2-3 servings of healthy fats a day. I have actually really been enjoying eating this way. I am not used to eating so much protein but I have tons of energy and I haven’t been hungry at all. I LOVE that I don’t have to count calories and I can just eat when I get hungry. The food I’ve been eating doesn’t taste half bad either!

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My meals yesterday looked like this:

Meal 1: 5 egg whites cooked with 1/2 cup salsa and a slice of Ezekiel bread with 1/2 tbsp. almond butter

Meal 2: Pina Colada Protein Shake from my gym (this was immediately after my workout) and an apple

Meal 3: Oat coated chicken fingers, baked sweet potato wedges (coated with 1 tsp. olive oil), and celery sticks

Meal 4: 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt with Cinnamon and a red bell pepper on the side

Meal 5: Lemon Curry Tilapia, 1/4 cup quinoa, and a big salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

I went to bed early last night so I skipped meal #6!

Thus far I’m feeling really great and I am excited to start seeing some results. Days 3 and 4 are supposed to be lower body workouts but tomorrow I’m going to do some running and then do the lower body workouts on days 4 and 5 instead. Day 6 will be another running day (if my legs are too sore!)

I’m BACK with a New Plan

I’m back after a week long break from the blog. This blog was beginning to take over my life and I was sloughing my other responsibilities so I could blog! NOT good. After some thinking and pondering I’ve decided I still really love blogging and want to continue.  Instead of publishing a post every morning and night I will do one morning post Monday through Friday. This will be my set schedule but I may do a bonus post on occasion! If you have any suggestions or requests for post topics I would LOVE to hear them.

Kelly had 3 days off from school and work for Thanksgiving and I just completely unplugged and focused on my family! It was a glorious break from our usual responsibilities. We drove to Wyoming to spend the holiday with Kelly’s family. Every other year they do a HUGE Thanksgiving dinner with his Dad’s side of the family.

Kelly’s Grandma, Pom Pom is 89 years old and we gather as many of her descendents as possible and feast together.

Once we are done eating we put away all the tables and chairs and the REAL fun begins. We play lightning, dodgeball, and volleyball! It is SUCH a fun tradition and I look forward to it every other year.

Before dinner began I participated in the 3rd biannual Gobble Gallop 5k put on by two of Kelly’s awesome cousins. Amy and Trent are great runners and I was honored to participate in this fun tradition for the first time!  Another awesome thing about Amy and Trent? They had 5 children in 3 years with 2 SETS OF TWINS!!! I honestly don’t know how they survive but they are doing an awesome job and seem to be having a lot of fun while doing it.

Speaking of running…After Ragnar I was a bit put off from running  for a few weeks. I think my body just needed to rest. I’ve learned that I am much more motivated to eat healthy and workout if I have a goal to work toward. I’ve been a bit lost since finishing my half marathon. That race was a goal I had wanted to accomplish for a long time and after it was all over I didn’t know where to go from there. I had a few thoughts of training for a Marathon but decided I’m not quite ready for that. I knew I didn’t want to lose my newfound running abilities but I needed something new. After much deliberation I’ve decided to start Jamie Eason’s LiveFit Trainer.

I’m really excited about this new goal and I can’t wait to get started. LiveFit Trainer is a free training and nutrition plan from bodybuilding.com. The plan incorporates lifting heavier weights to add muscle and lean out your body. The program is 12 weeks long and the first 4 weeks call for NO CARDIO.  This is the one part of the program I’m not going to follow. I’ve worked to hard to be able to run and I don’t want to give that up. Phase 1 only includes 4 days a week of training so I’m going to take 2 more days to keep up with my running. I’m also going to try and double up 1 day so I can fit in a 3rd day of running. I’m really excited about this new challenge and I can’t wait to get started.

I’m off to drop Dax off at preschool and then I’m headed to the gym for my first LiveFit workout!

A Quick Tip

This is going to be a short post because we are rushing out the door to head to the airport. My mom is coming in to town and we are going to spend the day in Salt Lake shopping and eating delicious food!

I got up at 5 AM so I could get a workout in before the day’s festivities begin. I went to the 5:30 AM spin class at my gym and it was SO AWESOME.  I always forget how much I like spinning until I go to another class, then I think I need to go more often. I rushed home and made a protein shake. I kept my meal small because we are planning on going to breakfast once we get my mom from the airport.

It was a bit weird to go to the gym in the dark…and then leave the gym STILL in the dark. I didn’t mind one bit since I had such a great workout. So here is my quick tip for today: Find a workout that you love and stick with it. I have found that I really enjoying running and spinning. Since I love these activities (and the way I feel when I’m DONE) I am willing to get up at the butt crack of dawn to do them! Try a ton of new things like Zumba, kickboxing, speed walking, spinning, interval training, elliptical, and step classes until you find your passion. I promise it will make a huge difference in your workouts if you actually enjoy them.

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Have you found a workout you LOVE to do?

Healthy Pasta Salad

I spent almost 2 hours deep cleaning my kitchen this afternoon. When dinner time rolled around, the last thing I wanted to do was make a huge mess! I was craving pasta and lo and behold, when I looked in the cabinet, sitting right next to the pasta was a brand new bottle of Newman’s Own Ceaser dressing. Instantly the idea of pasta salad popped in my head.

I used 100% whole wheat elbow pasta. By the way, many of the pasta brands that claim to be whole wheat are only 50% whole wheat. I always check the label and make sure the ingredients are 100% whole wheat. I only want the good stuff! While the pasta was cooking I chopped a green bell pepper, red onion, and cherry tomatoes.

I prefer to eat this pasta salad cold so I rinsed the pasta with cold water after I drained it. Then I simply combined the pasta, dressing, and veggies together. And voila! You have a colorful, healthy, and delicious pasta salad.

You could easily add some precooked chicken to the salad for a punch of protein. I ate my salad with a few bites of leftover pork from last night’s dinner to round out my meal. For this dish, I only had to clean 1 pot, a cutting board, and a knife. Plus we had plenty of leftovers for lunch tomorrow! Perfection.

The exact measurements for this pasta are:

• 8 oz. uncooked whole wheat pasta
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1/2 red onion
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 cup Newman’s Own Ceaser Dressing

Make this dish, you will LOVE it!

Finding Motivation to Workout

I haven’t exercised since I got back from Ragnar. I have been giving my body time to recover from running and from the flu bug I got. As of yesterday I feel back to 90% so I MUST stop making excuses and get back to my workout routine. I don’t know about the rest of you but I often have days when I just don’t want to lace up my shoes and go workout. In honor of my lack luster desire to go to the gym this morning, I’ve decided to compile a list of things that help me get my workout in when I really don’t want to.

1. If you workout in the morning, get up and immediately put on your gym clothes. I find that if I have my clothes on I am much less likely to skip a sweat session since I’m already dressed for it.

2. Download some new music or a podcast to your MP3 player. I get really excited to listen to my favorite podcasts, but I only allow myself to listen to them while I’m working out. This motivates me to get to the gym or out for a run so I can listen!

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3. Make a goal. The goal needs to be very specific. I was much better about getting all my workouts in while I was training for my half marathon. My goal was to run (without walking) a half marathon on October 13, 2012. I was REALLY excited about my goal and don’t think I skipped a single workout during my training. If you have never done a race before, I highly suggest finding a local 5k and signing up. Races are tons of fun and a great way to get outside with others who care about their health and fitness.

4. Workout with a friend. Working out with friends is not only fun but it holds you accountable to be there when you said you would.  You are much more likely to stick to a workout program if you have a partner to join you.

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5. Join in on a group class at the gym. This is usually my go-to tip when I don’t feel like exercising. Group classes are SO fun. Zumba, kickboxing, Bodypump, yoga, barre, spinning, etc. There are TONS of classes to chose from and they are great motivation to work a little harder since I generally don’t want to look like a chump in front of a bunch of people!

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6. Find an image that motivates you to stick to your goals and put it somewhere you will see it. I had an image of a woman crossing the finish line of a race on my bathroom mirror. I couldn’t dream of skipping a workout when I looked at that image. I REALLY wanted to be like the girl in the picture and the only way to get there was to tie up my shoe laces and go run.

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7. When all else fails and you STILL don’t feel like working out skip it do it anyway! Sometimes it is a matter of sheer willpower. In the words of Nike, “Just Do It!” Don’t think about it, just get out the door and do it. I would bet that once you get 15-20 minutes into your workout, you’ll be feeling good and working hard. The hardest part about exercise is starting. It’s all downhill from there. I have had many days when I didn’t want to run or go to the gym but I have NEVER once regretted a workout.

So what are you waiting for? Lace up those shoes and start sweating!